The Journey Of Life-Standing Firm When Life Doesn’t Seem Fair

Standing Firm When Life Doesn’t Seem Fair

Scripture: Psalms 73:1-28

series:The Journey Of Life
Date: 23rd Feb 2020

Life isn’t fair. I am 100% certain that you have either said that, thought that, or heard that before. We see injustice on a daily basis. On the news, we can see innocent people killed in drive by shootings, while the killers go free.In our neighborhoods, we see good people get cancer while those who seem to live hard partying lives, remain healthy.

In the movies, we see those who live lifestyles are focused only on looking good and having money, seemingly getting all of that and more and being able to do what they want and vacation when they want, all while they live lives that less than glorify the Lord. On top of that, it seems that Christians often have a more difficult life.

Walk into any church and you can find prayer lists filled with people

• with cancer or other illnesses
• who have lost or are in need of a job.
• who are struggling in marriage relationships

Not only that, but Christians have the struggles of striving to live godly lives in a world that bombards us with temptation while those who do not follow the Lord, seem not to struggle at all with living a life that appears to be against what God would have.

What is up with that?

I thought God, if He is truly Sovereign, would be able to bless the righteous and do justice to the wicked. So often that doesn’t seem to be the case. 

Have you ever thought about that?

Thought about how as we look out at the world, there seems to be so much injustice and life just doesn’t seem to be fair.

Well, you are not alone.

In fact, even some of the biblical writers have had some of these same concerns and expressed them in the pages of Scripture.

So, Today we are going to see how we can be Standing Firm when Life doesn’t seem Fair, as we continue our series, “The Journey of Life”

This morning we are going to be reading Psalm 73 

This Psalm was written by Asaph, a worship leader under King David, a godly man gifted in music to worship the Lord. writer of 12 Psalms.

For those of you who don’t think we should get real with God about how we are feeling, this psalm will stand in stark contrast to your view.

This psalm is very real and personal for Asaph as he reveals his struggle with the things he is seeing.

Perhaps some of you have been there. I know I have at times. I find it so helpful that I can go to God’s word and find other real people who had similar struggles and how God still cared for them.

So let’s read the first part of this psalm and see if we can relate to some of the things Asaph sees or has experienced and see if we can discover why he and we have these struggles.

Psalm 73

Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

Let’s stop there a moment.

Asaph starts out his psalm proclaiming an intellectual truth. Something He knows in his head. God is good and he is good to those who are pure in heart. If you are a Christian, you have probably been taught that and believe that. I have been and I do intellectually believe that to be true. Maybe you are not a Christian here today, and you don’t necessarily believe that.

Well, I want to tell you whether you are a Christian or not, everyone has struggled at one point or another with the apparent unfairness and injustice in the world. Here is this worship leader under the great King David struggling with these same things.

Notice what he says in verse 2

2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

God, I nearly bailed on you. I almost stopped following you. Understand that this is a godly man, a leader, who is saying this. Maybe you have experienced this or are experiencing this right now. If you get anything today, I want you to know that you are not alone in feeling as you do and to be open to see what causes this are and how we can overcome and stand firm when life doesn’t seem to be fair.

So the question we must ask is What causes us to stumble in our journey of Life?

It is the same things that causes Asaph to stumble.

Notice that the crux of the problem is what we believe in our head (there is a good God) and what we see with our eyes (unfairness and injustice) don’t seem to match up. Now the problem is either with what we believe or with what we are seeing. 

The next verse gives us an indication of what the problem might be.

Psalm 73:3

3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Asaph saw the wicked and the things they had and he envied them. He coveted their stuff. He coveted their life. The beginning of Asaphs problem was that he was Viewing life through the eyes of sin

The tenth commandment says in Exodus 20:17

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

That is exactly what Asaph was doing. He was coveting the prosperity of the wicked. He wanted what they had. Now once we stop battling this sin or any sin, we give Satan an opportunity to get a foothold into our lives and we start believing his lies. When we are viewing life through the eyes of sin, We start Viewing Life from the perspective of Satan.

Look at the next verses

4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

Now it may appear at times that many of the wicked have no struggles, but the fact of the matter is that everyone has struggles.

But when sin creeps into our lives, we now open ourselves to the deceptions of Satan to believe the lies that he tells us.

• “They don’t have any struggles.”
• “Their marriage is perfect.”
• “Look at all they have and the way they live. “
• “Is there really a God that allows them to live disregarding Him and they live the “good life” while you struggle in all aspects of life?”
• “If you got rid of the wife or husband you have and got yourself a better one, your life would be better too.”

Those are lies. When we are viewing life through the eyes of sin, we start believing the perspective that Satan is trying to feed us.

The truth may be that 

• they do have a better financial situation than you.
• They may have better health
• They may have more fame.
• But the lie is that they have no problems.

When we believe his lies, we play into his hand, and then we may even see things that are true, but we force them into the lie we are believing.

Look at the next verses of this psalm

Psalm 73:6-12

6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

Those who are not following God, may scoff and speak with malice.

They may threaten and mock God.

But they will not always be carefree and increase in wealth.

We take the lie and draw an extreme conclusion.

And when we do that, we make wrong conclusions about our own life and how we are living.

Look what Asaph says in Psalm 73:13-16

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

Asaph is saying, it isn’t worth it. 

I strive to live a pure and holy life and what does it lead?

Pain, heartache, and confusion.

The unrighteous live an ungodly life and where does that lead?

To money and success and fame.

It is not worth it.

I am certain most of us have been there and thought this at one point or another.

The truth is though that our view has been distorted. It is distorted by sin and by satan.

Even if what it was completely true that they have no problems and we do, we are only seeing snapshot of the present situation, not a complete picture.

Well, is this it?

• Do we chalk it up to say well, I don’t get it, oh well?
• How can we keep going on this journey of life if that is it?
• What causes us to Stand Firm on our Journey of Life
• Is there anything?

Well, let’s see what Asaph says and does.

Psalm 73:16-17

16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;

something happens to Asaph right here. He is seeing and not understanding all of these things, he says until, he entered the sanctuary of God.

Now entering the sanctuary of God, really meant that He came into God’s presence.When we do that, when we enter into God’s presence, We begin Viewing Life through the eyes of Faith. As God led Asaph into His presence, Asaph began exercising the faith that he had been given. And as we exercise the little faith that we are given and begin seeing life through the eyes of faith, we also begin Viewing life from the perspective of the Sovereign Lord.

It is from this perspective, that the things of this world begin to be seen in the proper way. We will be able to view the pleasures of this world appropriately as well as the pains of this world.

RUPEE illustration

When I hold up a rupee in front of my face, it looks huge.

But when I can put this rupee in proper perspective, I see it for what it really is.

It is something, but not nearly what I thought it was when it was right in front of my eyes.

Now while the things I see in the world may still have the appearance of unfair or unjust, seen from the perspective of the Lord helps me see with an eternal perspective.

It is then that we can begin to have a better understanding of some things.

First, when we are viewing life from the perspective of God, We understand the eternity of the wicked, While they may enjoy some earthly pleasures, this will be all they enjoy unless they repent of their sin and receive Christ as Savior.

Look at what Asaph says now about the wicked whom he saw as carefree, and pain free and successful in life.

Psalm 73:17-20

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

Notice how in the beginning part of the psalm, the psalmist talked about how his foot had almost slipped. But now he sees the reality of the situation in that the wicked are on the slippery ground.

When we see from God’s perspective and understand this, we no longer envy the wicked or what they have, but we pity and ache for the wicked and what they lack, eternal life.

Understanding and knowing the hope we have been given of eternal life, is going to help us stand firm and persevere on this journey of life.

As Moses lived by viewing life through the eyes of faith so can we. Listen to how he did it.

Hebrews 11:24-27

24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

See through the eyes of faith. See from God’s perspective and understand the eternity of those who don’t follow the Lord and it will help you stand firm. But as we see from God’s perspective, we not only understand the eternity of the wicked, We understand the sinfulness of ourselves

Psalm 73:21-22

21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

Asaph saw his envy for the sin that it was and repented.

I want to tell you that before I became a Christian, I thought I was pretty good. Sunita was so lucky to have someone like me. A good person, who really did not do much wrong or have too many bad habits or really was all that sinful. It is as I continue to walk with the Lord, that I see more and more how sinful I am. As we walk in faith and see from God’s perspective, we understand how sinful we are. And as we understand and see our sin, we are given the promise of being cleansed as we confess and repent.

1 John 1:9

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Not only that, but We understand the Mercy and Grace of God in Psalm 73:23-28

23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.

 God is good even when life doesn’t seem fair. He holds us and guides us and will take us to be with Him when we receive Jesus as our Savior. God is good. God is good even when life doesn’t seem fair. Maybe you are here today and are still not understanding, still not feeling like you are standing firm.

You need to enter the sanctuary of God, you need to come into his presence so that you can see through the eyes of faith and from God’s perspective.

God has brought you here today to hear this message.

God has brought me hear today to hear this message.

Come today into his presence by exercising the faith He has given you to come here.

We are going to pray.

If you have never received Jesus as your Savior, that is the first thing you need to do to come into God’s presence. If you have received Jesus, while it isn’t salvation you need, but cleansing that John talked about. Ask God to look inside you and expose any sin in you that may be distorting your view of life.

Psalm 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting

As God shows you any sin that may be there, be prepared to confess it and repent and be cleansed.

But following that, to keep our perspective, to help us not only stand firm, but to continue on in our Journey of life, we need to continue to keep our focus on the Lord.

We do that by being part of a local church, by participating in being part of small group where we can study God’s word, and be encouraged and loved by other people.

This is what will keep us walking faithfully and joyfully even when our human perspective can’t see the fairness of life, but our eternal perspective will allow us to rejoice knowing that God is good, and justice will come in his time.

Then we will be able to say with Paul as he does in

Romans 8:18

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Let’s pray.